dave

An amazing speech from Robert Jenrick earlier at the Wolverhampton event. Very Prime Ministerial, I believe he is being groomed as future leader after Nigel's first term. So much to like here, with all of the local anecdotes and who would have known Jenrick is a Wolves fan. @RobertJenrick

OH THEY KILLED THIS

George Michael invented perfection 💖

🚨 Lisa Carrick on the emotional toll of Manchester United's treatment of her husband, Michael Carrick: 🗣️ People see football as a game. They see the results, the league table, the managers, the players and the decisions made by the club. But sometimes, they forget that behind every manager is a family watching everything happen. And as Michael's wife, I have watched him go through some very difficult moments. Since the beginning of the season, I have noticed a change in him. He hardly sleeps properly anymore. There are nights when he lies awake thinking about the club, the players and what he could do differently. Sometimes, he comes home and barely speaks. He doesn't always have the appetite to eat, and even when our children want his attention, I can see that his mind is somewhere else. I don't always ask him what is wrong because, honestly, I already know. I know how much Manchester United means to him. This is not just another job. This is a club he has represented as a player, served as a coach and now managed. He has given so much of himself to this football club. I have watched him deal with criticism, pressure and difficult results. I have watched our children notice when their father isn't happy. And as a wife and mother, all I can do is encourage him, support him and remind him that there is more to life than football. But what has happened recently has been particularly difficult to watch. Imagine waking up every morning, preparing yourself for another day at work, knowing that the same club you are trying to help is reportedly looking for someone to replace you. I have seen the reports linking the club with Mauricio Pochettino and other potential replacements. Yet Michael continued going to Carrington. He continued attending training, preparing the players and carrying out his responsibilities. He would leave early in the morning, sometimes without even having breakfast, because he had work to do. And that is what hurts me the most. He kept showing up. He kept doing his job. He kept giving the club everything he had, even when the uncertainty surrounding his position was becoming impossible to ignore. I understand that Manchester United want to win. I understand that supporters expect results. I understand that football is a business and that decisions have to be made. But there is also something called respect. If the club had decided that Michael was no longer the right person to lead the team, why couldn't they handle the situation with more consideration? Why allow someone to continue carrying the responsibility of the job while the club is reportedly preparing for his replacement? My husband is not asking for special treatment. He understands the demands of football. He understands that managers can lose their jobs. But he is also human. He has a family. He has children who want their father to be happy. And he has given years of his life to Manchester United. I am not speaking because I want to fight the club. I am speaking because I have watched someone I love carry a burden that most people will never understand. Whatever happens next, I and his family is proud of him. Manchester United may have made their decision about his future, but I wish they had remembered that the man they were making that decision about has given so much of himself to this club. My husband deserved better."